Erskine, Minnesota
Encyclopedia
Erskine is a city in Polk County
, Minnesota
, United States
. The population was 503 at the 2010 census. It is part of the 'Grand Forks
- ND
-MN
Metropolitan Statistical Area'.
, the city has a total area of 1 square miles (2.6 km²). 0.7 square miles (1.8 km²) of its area is land and 0.3 square mile (0.776996433 km²) is water.
of 2000, there were 437 people, 203 households, and 111 families residing in the city. The population density
was 590.0 people per square mile (228.0/km²). There were 250 housing units with an average density of 337.5 per square mile (130.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 91.99% White, 0.23% African American, 5.49% Native American, and 2.29% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.23% of the population. The ethnicity of Erskine residents was as follows *http://www.epodunk.com/cgi-bin/genealogyInfo.php?locIndex=21031:
· Norwegian - 48%
· German - 13%
· Swedish - 12%
· Chippewa - 4%
· American Indian tribes, specified - 4%
· Irish - 4%
· Russian - 3%
· Danish - 3%
· French (except Basque) - 2%
· Scottish - 2%
· American Indian tribes, not specified - 2%
· Italian - 1%
· English - 1%
· Scandinavian - 1%
Out of the 203 households, 25.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.9% were married couples
living together, 10.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 45.3% were non-families. 42.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 25.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.15 and the average family size was 2.95.
In the city the population was spread out with 25.6% under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 20.4% from 25 to 44, 21.3% from 45 to 64, and 26.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females there were 84.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 77.6 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $26,771, and the median income for a family was $35,278. Males had a median income of $33,333 versus $19,375 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $18,122. About 17.3% of families and 18.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 37.8% of those under age 18 and 7.3% of those age 65 or over.
The population of Erskine was more than 800 in the 1920s. It hovered above 600 until the late 1960s, dipped to 571 (1970) and 585 (1980), and then plunged to 424 (1990), 428 (1995), and 437 (2000).
Downtown Erskine, c. 1910
Erskine's town festival is known as the Erskine Water Carnival, and is held in early June. The Erskine Fish, the concrete statue that is the world's largest Northern Pike
and the town's principal tourist attraction, is located on a grassy lawn in a small park
on the shore of Cameron Lake, just down the street from downtown Erskine. It is the hometown of actress and singer Jamie Foss
, winner of 2004's Superstar USA
. In addition, it is the center of a community of Russian Old Believers estimated at between 50 and 100 families. The Old Believers
began moving to Erskine around 1998 in order to escape a farming crisis and suburban sprawl which threatened their community near Woodburn
, Oregon
.
is located along County Road 238 approximately 3 miles (4.8 km) west of Erskine and 2½ miles south of U.S. Highway 2. The Oak Lake Golf Course is located just east of town at the intersection of Highway 2 and U.S. Highway 59. The best local resort and fishing areas are Maple Lake, a lake near Mentor
, Minnesota
, and Maple Bay
, Minnesota
, as well as Union Lake and Lake Sarah, located a few miles south of Erskine. Like many other lakes in other towns, Erskine's sewage was dumped into Cameron Lake until the Clean Water Act
of 1970 forced the town to redirect its sewage to the new sewer plant near Badger Lake. Former residents and old-timers will recall that the shores of Cameron Lake were littered with dead fish
in the old days. Today, the lake is much cleaner, and with the rising costs of lakeshore property in the area, there is an increase in development on the lakeshore.
, Minnesota
and Winger
, Minnesota
in addition to Erskine). A vocational and technical college is located in Thief River Falls. The nearest four-year colleges in the vicinity include a branch campus of the University of Minnesota
in Crookston
and Bemidji State University
in Bemidji, in addition to the University of North Dakota
in Grand Forks
and North Dakota State University
in Fargo
.
Times and The 13 Towns (published in Fosston
for the 13 townships of eastern Polk County). Area daily newspapers include the Crookston Times (Crookston
), Grand Forks Herald
(Grand Forks
, North Dakota
), The Forum
(Fargo
, North Dakota
), The Bemidji Pioneer (Bemidji
), and the Star Tribune
(Minneapolis
), available via subscription or in vendor boxes.
is home to three radio stations. Other radio and television stations from Bemidji
, Crookston
, Thief River Falls
, Grand Forks
, Fargo
, and Winnipeg
can be picked up in Erskine.
and four-lane U.S. Highway 2
, and is situated approximately 60 miles (96.6 km) east of Interstate Highway 29
at Grand Forks, N.D., and 105 miles (169 km) north of Interstate Highway 94
at Fergus Falls, Minn.
, Erskine formerly appeared prominently on many national railroad maps and atlases which omitted much larger cities and towns in the vicinity. Both lines are still in place today, with the Great Northern tracks now owned by the BNSF Railway
and the Soo Line tracks owned by the Canadian Pacific Railway
. Erskine's freight depot, while still standing, is closed for business, and rail passenger service was discontinued many years ago.
s, an ice plant
, a lumber mill and several blacksmith
shops. Even as late as 1980, the town businesses included a grain elevator
, a creamery
, a lumber yard
, a fuel delivery service, and several farm implement dealers, junkyards and repair shops. As family farming in the area declined, the agricultural services component has diminished as larger growers took their supply and services business to larger communities.
-based Agassiz Energy, LLC, announced that it had postponed indefinitely its plans for a $58.5 million ethanol
plant at the junction of the former Great Northern and Soo Line railroads, near the interchange of U.S. Routes 59
and 2
. *http://www.agassizenergy.com/htm
Polk County, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 31,369 people, 12,070 households, and 8,050 families residing in the county. The population density was 16 people per square mile . There were 14,008 housing units at an average density of 7 per square mile...
, Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 503 at the 2010 census. It is part of the 'Grand Forks
Grand Forks, North Dakota
Grand Forks is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of North Dakota and the county seat of Grand Forks County. According to the 2010 census, the city's population was 52,838, while that of the city and surrounding metropolitan area was 98,461...
- ND
North Dakota
North Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....
-MN
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
Metropolitan Statistical Area'.
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 1 square miles (2.6 km²). 0.7 square miles (1.8 km²) of its area is land and 0.3 square mile (0.776996433 km²) is water.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 437 people, 203 households, and 111 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 590.0 people per square mile (228.0/km²). There were 250 housing units with an average density of 337.5 per square mile (130.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 91.99% White, 0.23% African American, 5.49% Native American, and 2.29% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.23% of the population. The ethnicity of Erskine residents was as follows *http://www.epodunk.com/cgi-bin/genealogyInfo.php?locIndex=21031:
· Norwegian - 48%
· German - 13%
· Swedish - 12%
· Chippewa - 4%
· American Indian tribes, specified - 4%
· Irish - 4%
· Russian - 3%
· Danish - 3%
· French (except Basque) - 2%
· Scottish - 2%
· American Indian tribes, not specified - 2%
· Italian - 1%
· English - 1%
· Scandinavian - 1%
Out of the 203 households, 25.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.9% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 10.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 45.3% were non-families. 42.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 25.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.15 and the average family size was 2.95.
In the city the population was spread out with 25.6% under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 20.4% from 25 to 44, 21.3% from 45 to 64, and 26.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females there were 84.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 77.6 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $26,771, and the median income for a family was $35,278. Males had a median income of $33,333 versus $19,375 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $18,122. About 17.3% of families and 18.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 37.8% of those under age 18 and 7.3% of those age 65 or over.
The population of Erskine was more than 800 in the 1920s. It hovered above 600 until the late 1960s, dipped to 571 (1970) and 585 (1980), and then plunged to 424 (1990), 428 (1995), and 437 (2000).
Culture
Erskine's town festival is known as the Erskine Water Carnival, and is held in early June. The Erskine Fish, the concrete statue that is the world's largest Northern Pike
Northern Pike
The northern pike , is a species of carnivorous fish of the genus Esox...
and the town's principal tourist attraction, is located on a grassy lawn in a small park
Park
A park is a protected area, in its natural or semi-natural state, or planted, and set aside for human recreation and enjoyment, or for the protection of wildlife or natural habitats. It may consist of rocks, soil, water, flora and fauna and grass areas. Many parks are legally protected by...
on the shore of Cameron Lake, just down the street from downtown Erskine. It is the hometown of actress and singer Jamie Foss
Jamie Foss
Jamie Foss is a singer and actress from Erskine, Minnesota. In 2004, she won $50,000, plus a recording contract on The WB's Superstar USA, a parody of FOX's hit show American Idol....
, winner of 2004's Superstar USA
Superstar USA
The WB's Superstar USA is a television show which spoofed the popular show American Idol. Essentially that show's polar opposite, Superstar USA told contestants they were looking for the best singer when they were actually looking for the worst...
. In addition, it is the center of a community of Russian Old Believers estimated at between 50 and 100 families. The Old Believers
Old Believers
In the context of Russian Orthodox church history, the Old Believers separated after 1666 from the official Russian Orthodox Church as a protest against church reforms introduced by Patriarch Nikon between 1652–66...
began moving to Erskine around 1998 in order to escape a farming crisis and suburban sprawl which threatened their community near Woodburn
Woodburn, Oregon
Woodburn is a city in Marion County, Oregon, United States. Incorporated in 1889, the community had been platted in 1871 after the arrival of the railroad. The city is located in the northern end of the Willamette Valley along Interstate 5 between Portland and Salem...
, Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
.
Parks, Recreation and Public Facilities
The Rydell National Wildlife RefugeRydell National Wildlife Refuge
The Rydell National Wildlife Refuge is an National Wildlife Refuge in northwestern Minnesota, located just west of Erskine in Northwestern Minnesota. It was established in 1992, and receives more than 7,800 visitors each year...
is located along County Road 238 approximately 3 miles (4.8 km) west of Erskine and 2½ miles south of U.S. Highway 2. The Oak Lake Golf Course is located just east of town at the intersection of Highway 2 and U.S. Highway 59. The best local resort and fishing areas are Maple Lake, a lake near Mentor
Mentor, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 150 people, 82 households, and 45 families residing in the city. The population density was 79.3 people per square mile . There were 102 housing units at an average density of 53.9 per square mile...
, Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
, and Maple Bay
Maple Bay, Minnesota
Maple Bay is an unincorporated community in Godfrey Township,in central Polk County, Minnesota, United States. A community of second homes and cabins, it lies on the west end of Maple Lake, approximately 6 miles west of Erskine....
, Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
, as well as Union Lake and Lake Sarah, located a few miles south of Erskine. Like many other lakes in other towns, Erskine's sewage was dumped into Cameron Lake until the Clean Water Act
Clean Water Act
The Clean Water Act is the primary federal law in the United States governing water pollution. Commonly abbreviated as the CWA, the act established the goals of eliminating releases of high amounts of toxic substances into water, eliminating additional water pollution by 1985, and ensuring that...
of 1970 forced the town to redirect its sewage to the new sewer plant near Badger Lake. Former residents and old-timers will recall that the shores of Cameron Lake were littered with dead fish
Dead Fish
Dead Fish is a 2005 action/comedy film starring Gary Oldman, Robert Carlyle, Andrew-Lee Potts and Elena Anaya.-Plot synopsis:Lynch , an emotionless bon-vivant hitman, stops a thief who stole a cell phone from Mimi in a train station. Falling for her at first sight, he does not notice when she...
in the old days. Today, the lake is much cleaner, and with the rising costs of lakeshore property in the area, there is an increase in development on the lakeshore.
Schools
Erskine is served by a consolidated multi-community K–12 school district known as "Win-E-Mac" http://www.win-e-mac.k12.mn.us/ (which represents McIntoshMcIntosh, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 638 people, 262 households, and 160 families residing in the city. The population density was 642.0 people per square mile . There were 285 housing units at an average density of 286.8 per square mile . The racial makeup of the city was 97.65% White, 0.78%...
, Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
and Winger
Winger, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 205 people, 94 households, and 53 families residing in the city. The population density was 586.4 people per square mile . There were 105 housing units at an average density of 300.4 per square mile...
, Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
in addition to Erskine). A vocational and technical college is located in Thief River Falls. The nearest four-year colleges in the vicinity include a branch campus of the University of Minnesota
University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557...
in Crookston
Crookston, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 8,192 people, 3,078 households, and 1,819 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,658.8 people per square mile . There were 3,382 housing units at an average density of 684.8 per square mile...
and Bemidji State University
Bemidji State University
Bemidji State University is a public state university in Bemidji, Minnesota, USA, located on the shores of Lake Bemidji. It is a part of Minnesota State Colleges and Universities .-History:BSU was founded in 1919 as Bemidji State Normal School...
in Bemidji, in addition to the University of North Dakota
University of North Dakota
The University of North Dakota is a public university in Grand Forks, North Dakota, USA. Established by the Dakota Territorial Assembly in 1883, six years before the establishment of the state of North Dakota, UND is the oldest and largest university in the state and enrolls over 14,000 students. ...
in Grand Forks
Grand Forks, North Dakota
Grand Forks is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of North Dakota and the county seat of Grand Forks County. According to the 2010 census, the city's population was 52,838, while that of the city and surrounding metropolitan area was 98,461...
and North Dakota State University
North Dakota State University
North Dakota State University of Agriculture and Applied Sciences, more commonly known as North Dakota State University , is a public university in Fargo, North Dakota. NDSU has about 14,000 students and it is the largest university in North Dakota based on full time students and land size...
in Fargo
Fargo, North Dakota
Fargo is the largest city in the U.S. state of North Dakota and the county seat of Cass County. In 2010, its population was 105,549, and it had an estimated metropolitan population of 208,777...
.
Telephone and Internet Service
The oldest telephone cooperative in the state, Garden Valley Telephone Company, is headquartered in Erskine and serves most of northwestern Minnesota. It was formed to provide telephone coverage to the region at a time when it was difficult to get telephone service to the area. Garden Valley Telephone Company now provides internet service, although other ISPs also serve the area. The Erskine telephone prefix is 687, formerly Murray 7, with the area code being 218.Newspapers
Erskine is home to the Erskine Echo, a weekly newspaper which began publishing before 1900. Other available weekly newspapers include the McIntoshMcIntosh, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 638 people, 262 households, and 160 families residing in the city. The population density was 642.0 people per square mile . There were 285 housing units at an average density of 286.8 per square mile . The racial makeup of the city was 97.65% White, 0.78%...
Times and The 13 Towns (published in Fosston
Fosston, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,575 people, 681 households, and 379 families residing in the city. The population density was 969.1 people per square mile . There were 739 housing units at an average density of 454.7 per square mile...
for the 13 townships of eastern Polk County). Area daily newspapers include the Crookston Times (Crookston
Crookston, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 8,192 people, 3,078 households, and 1,819 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,658.8 people per square mile . There were 3,382 housing units at an average density of 684.8 per square mile...
), Grand Forks Herald
Grand Forks Herald
The Grand Forks Herald is a daily broadsheet newspaper, begun in 1879, published in Grand Forks, North Dakota. It is the primary daily paper for northeast North Dakota and northwest Minnesota. Its average daily circulation is 34,763 on Sundays and 31,524 on weekdays...
(Grand Forks
Grand Forks, North Dakota
Grand Forks is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of North Dakota and the county seat of Grand Forks County. According to the 2010 census, the city's population was 52,838, while that of the city and surrounding metropolitan area was 98,461...
, North Dakota
North Dakota
North Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....
), The Forum
The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead
The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead, previously titled the Fargo Forum, is a daily newspaper printed in Fargo, North Dakota and owned by Forum Communications. The Forum, as it is commonly known, is the primary daily paper for southeast North Dakota, and also much of northwest Minnesota. Its average daily...
(Fargo
Fargo, North Dakota
Fargo is the largest city in the U.S. state of North Dakota and the county seat of Cass County. In 2010, its population was 105,549, and it had an estimated metropolitan population of 208,777...
, North Dakota
North Dakota
North Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....
), The Bemidji Pioneer (Bemidji
Bemidji, Minnesota
Bemidji is a city in Beltrami County, Minnesota, United States. Its population was at 13,431 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Beltrami County. Bemidji is the most major city in North Central Minnesota and the largest commercial center between Grand Forks, North Dakota and Duluth,...
), and the Star Tribune
Star Tribune
The Star Tribune is the largest newspaper in the U.S. state of Minnesota and is published seven days each week in an edition for the Minneapolis-Saint Paul metropolitan area. A statewide version is also available across Minnesota and parts of Wisconsin, Iowa, South Dakota, and North Dakota. The...
(Minneapolis
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis , nicknamed "City of Lakes" and the "Mill City," is the county seat of Hennepin County, the largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota, and the 48th largest in the United States...
), available via subscription or in vendor boxes.
Radio and Television
Erskine has no radio or television stations, but nearby FosstonFosston, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,575 people, 681 households, and 379 families residing in the city. The population density was 969.1 people per square mile . There were 739 housing units at an average density of 454.7 per square mile...
is home to three radio stations. Other radio and television stations from Bemidji
Bemidji, Minnesota
Bemidji is a city in Beltrami County, Minnesota, United States. Its population was at 13,431 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Beltrami County. Bemidji is the most major city in North Central Minnesota and the largest commercial center between Grand Forks, North Dakota and Duluth,...
, Crookston
Crookston, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 8,192 people, 3,078 households, and 1,819 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,658.8 people per square mile . There were 3,382 housing units at an average density of 684.8 per square mile...
, Thief River Falls
Thief River Falls, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 8,410 people, 3,619 households, and 2,091 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,760.0 people per square mile . There were 3,931 housing units at an average density of 822.7 per square mile...
, Grand Forks
Grand Forks, North Dakota
Grand Forks is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of North Dakota and the county seat of Grand Forks County. According to the 2010 census, the city's population was 52,838, while that of the city and surrounding metropolitan area was 98,461...
, Fargo
Fargo, North Dakota
Fargo is the largest city in the U.S. state of North Dakota and the county seat of Cass County. In 2010, its population was 105,549, and it had an estimated metropolitan population of 208,777...
, and Winnipeg
Winnipeg
Winnipeg is the capital and largest city of Manitoba, Canada, and is the primary municipality of the Winnipeg Capital Region, with more than half of Manitoba's population. It is located near the longitudinal centre of North America, at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers .The name...
can be picked up in Erskine.
Roads and Highways
Erskine is located just west of the intersection of U.S. Highway 59U.S. Route 59
U.S. Route 59 is a north–south United States highway . A latecomer to the U.S. numbered route system, U.S. 59 is now a border-to-border route, Part of NAFTA Corridor Highway System. It parallels U.S. Route 75 for nearly its entire route, never much more than away, until it veers southwest...
and four-lane U.S. Highway 2
U.S. Route 2
U.S. Route 2 is an east–west U.S. Highway spanning across the northern continental United States. US 2 consists of two segments connected by various roadways in southern Canada...
, and is situated approximately 60 miles (96.6 km) east of Interstate Highway 29
Interstate 29
Interstate 29 is an Interstate Highway in the Midwestern United States. I-29 runs from Kansas City, Missouri, at a junction with Interstate 35 and Interstate 70 to the Canadian border near Pembina, North Dakota, where it connects with Manitoba Highway 75 via the short Manitoba Highway 29.-Route...
at Grand Forks, N.D., and 105 miles (169 km) north of Interstate Highway 94
Interstate 94
Interstate 94 is the northernmost east–west Interstate Highway, connecting the Great Lakes and Intermountain regions of the United States. I-94's western terminus is in Billings, Montana at a junction with Interstate 90; its eastern terminus is the U.S...
at Fergus Falls, Minn.
Air Transport
The nearest airports with commercial service are Bemidji (55 miles (88.5 km) east), Thief River Falls (35 miles (56.3 km) north) and Grand Forks (60 miles (96.6 km) west). An uninstrumented grass airfield known as the Erskine Airport was in operation from 1954 until the early 1970s, but no longer exists. Nearby Fosston (12 miles (19.3 km) east) and Crookston (20 miles (32.2 km) west) both have private aviation airfields.Rail transport
Located at the historic junction of the Great Northern Railway and the Soo Line RailroadSoo Line Railroad
The Soo Line Railroad is the primary United States railroad subsidiary of the Canadian Pacific Railway , controlled through the Soo Line Corporation, and one of seven U.S. Class I railroads. Although it is named for the Minneapolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste...
, Erskine formerly appeared prominently on many national railroad maps and atlases which omitted much larger cities and towns in the vicinity. Both lines are still in place today, with the Great Northern tracks now owned by the BNSF Railway
BNSF Railway
The BNSF Railway is a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Inc., and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. It is one of seven North American Class I railroads and the second largest freight railroad network in North America, second only to the Union Pacific Railroad, its primary...
and the Soo Line tracks owned by the Canadian Pacific Railway
Canadian Pacific Railway
The Canadian Pacific Railway , formerly also known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a historic Canadian Class I railway founded in 1881 and now operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, which began operations as legal owner in a corporate restructuring in 2001...
. Erskine's freight depot, while still standing, is closed for business, and rail passenger service was discontinued many years ago.
Bus Services
Greyhound Bus Lines no longer serves Erskine, but Jefferson Lines has taken over the Fargo-Minneapolis route previously served by Greyhound. The Tri-Valley Heartland Express Bus provides scheduled weekly or bi-weekly service to Crookston, Bemidji, Thief River Falls and other destinations for seniors and others on an advance reservation basis.Historic Businesses
Prior to 1980, Erskine's primary function was as a service community for the local agricultural community. In the early 1900s, the town boasted four grain elevatorGrain elevator
A grain elevator is a tower containing a bucket elevator, which scoops up, elevates, and then uses gravity to deposit grain in a silo or other storage facility...
s, an ice plant
Ice plant
- Plant common names :* Aizoaceae, the ice plant family* Carpobrotus chilensis* Carpobrotus edulis* Conicosia, narrow-leafed ice plants* Delosperma cooperi, Cooper's ice plant* Delosperma bosseranum...
, a lumber mill and several blacksmith
Blacksmith
A blacksmith is a person who creates objects from wrought iron or steel by forging the metal; that is, by using tools to hammer, bend, and cut...
shops. Even as late as 1980, the town businesses included a grain elevator
Grain elevator
A grain elevator is a tower containing a bucket elevator, which scoops up, elevates, and then uses gravity to deposit grain in a silo or other storage facility...
, a creamery
Creamery
In a dairy, the creamery is the location of cream processing. Cream is separated from whole milk; pasteurization is done to the skimmed milk and cream separately. Whole milk for sale has had some cream returned to the skimmed milk....
, a lumber yard
Lumber yard
A lumber yard is a retail location for lumber and wood related products used in construction and/or home improvement projects. Lumber yards can also provide services such as the use of a planer and other large machines....
, a fuel delivery service, and several farm implement dealers, junkyards and repair shops. As family farming in the area declined, the agricultural services component has diminished as larger growers took their supply and services business to larger communities.
Erskine Manufacturing aka Erskine Attachments
Erskine continues as the home of Erskine Attachments, formerly known as Erskine Manufacturing Company, established in 1948. The company began as a manufacturer of heavy equipment snowblowers and grain hitch elevators before changing its name to Erskine Attachments when it began manufacturing a line of Skid Steer Attachments for the Ingersoll Rand Bobcat company. Now private, Erskine Attachments manufactures more than 40 skid steer attachments including brush mowers, snowblowers, blades, buckets, grapples, post drivers, stump grinders, tree shears, and others that fit all skid steers and some front end loaders that utilize the skid steer style quick attach mechanism. Erskine Attachments was used as a pilot for the Minnesota JOBZ incentive program to revitalize Minnesota's manufacturing opportunities and has been referenced for its continuance as a viable success story.Other Businesses
Other significant employers include Garden Valley Telephone Company and the Pioneer Memorial Care Center, a nursing home and retirement community. In 2008, CrookstonCrookston, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 8,192 people, 3,078 households, and 1,819 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,658.8 people per square mile . There were 3,382 housing units at an average density of 684.8 per square mile...
-based Agassiz Energy, LLC, announced that it had postponed indefinitely its plans for a $58.5 million ethanol
Ethanol
Ethanol, also called ethyl alcohol, pure alcohol, grain alcohol, or drinking alcohol, is a volatile, flammable, colorless liquid. It is a psychoactive drug and one of the oldest recreational drugs. Best known as the type of alcohol found in alcoholic beverages, it is also used in thermometers, as a...
plant at the junction of the former Great Northern and Soo Line railroads, near the interchange of U.S. Routes 59
U.S. Route 59
U.S. Route 59 is a north–south United States highway . A latecomer to the U.S. numbered route system, U.S. 59 is now a border-to-border route, Part of NAFTA Corridor Highway System. It parallels U.S. Route 75 for nearly its entire route, never much more than away, until it veers southwest...
and 2
U.S. Route 2
U.S. Route 2 is an east–west U.S. Highway spanning across the northern continental United States. US 2 consists of two segments connected by various roadways in southern Canada...
. *http://www.agassizenergy.com/htm
External links
- City of Erskine Official Website
- Rydell National Wildlife Refuge Official Site
- Click here and Page Down to "Elena's Place" for an Interview with an Erskine Old Believer
- A 1999 Article Explaining How and Why the Old Believers moved to Erskine
- For a photograph and description of the "World's Largest Fish"
- For another photograph of the "Erskine Pike"
- For information concerning Tri-Valley Corporation Heartland Express Bus( dead link ? )
- Garden Valley Telephone Company website
- For a recent photograph of the Erskine Great Northern Railway Depot, see
- Erskine Attachments Company website
- Win-E-Mac School District website
